Holder for skeins of wool and the like



Filed May 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /eeaser P. WHERE/ HTTOB/VEYS H. P. WARREN HOL JDER F'OR SKEINS OF WOE L AND THE LIKE Filed May 6, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOB f/EEBEET E W re/2 EN gTTOE/VEYS as to provide a rotatable circular series of Patented Feb. 14, 1928'.

, UNITED STATES PAT ENT oFFIiC E- 1 minimum :ennov WARREN, or KING WILLIAMS- Town, CAPE oonoNY, SOUTH AFRICA.

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. Application filed May e, 1927, sensin mass, ana m Great Britain May 18, 1926.

This invention relates to collapsible skeinholders for use in windm wool thread l 7 7 string and the like, ot the kind in which a l n i i i i L p plurality O1 arms are, toldable armardly so yokes of any desired diameter according to the dimensions of the skein from which the wool or thelike is to be wound, and has for its object to provide an improved device whereby the skein may be maintained under tension without variation of the size or formation of the yokes.

To this end, and in accordancewith the invention a skein-holder comprises essentially a sleeve rotatable on a fixed spindle, a plurality of ribs or arms each formed as or carrying a yoke at one end and at the other end attached pivotally to said sleeve and adapted to be moved about their pivots by means of a collar slidable lengthwise of the sleeve and connected with the ribs by a plurality of links, a spring or equivalent means adapted to act on said slidable collar, and a clamping device slidable at will on said sleeve and adapted to serve as an adjustable abutment for said spring so that according to the position, of said clamping device for the time being, lengthwise of the sleeve, the spring or the like will tend to move the slidable collar in the one or the other direction along the sleeve and thus tend to fold or to expand the ribs umbrella-fashion.

Preferably the fixed spindle is arranged vertically and is provided at its lower end with a flange, and the lower end of the rotatable sleeve is formed with a similar flange adapted to rest upon that of the fixed spindle, the ribs or arms of the device being at tached pivotally to the circumference of the sleeve flange.

If desired a cup may be mounted detachably upon the upper end of the rotatable sleeve, so as to be rotatable therewith, in

order that the ball or the like being wound from a skein may be placed therein if the winding operation be interrupted. I

The accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 isa sectional elevation. and Figure 2 a plan view, illustrate one form of skeinholder in accordance with the invention.

As shewn, a fixed spindle 10 is provided at its lower end with a clamp 11, so that it may be clamped, preferably in a vertical position, to any convenient support 12, and with a cork flange or seating 13 supported by a metal plate 14:. A sleeve 15 rotatable on the spindle 10 is formedat its lower end which are pivotally attached, as at 17, a plurality of ribs 18. To the circumference of a collar 19 slidable along the sleeve 15 are attached" pivotally, as at 20, a plurality of links 21 which are secured pivot-ally at their other ends to the ribs 18 as at 22, a helical spring 23, being interposed between, and preferably connected with, the collar 19 and a clamp 24 which is slidable at will on the sleeve 15.

The outer or free ends of the ribs 18 are formed as yokes 25, and, in use, the clamp 24lis pushed down the sleeve 15 until the ribs 18 are expanded'sufliciently to enable the yokes 25 to receive a skein of wool or the like, the skein is placed within, and so as to be retained by the yokes 25 and the clamp 2 1 is pushed f'urtherdown the sleeve 15 and locked in such a position thereon by means not the wing nut 26 that the spring 23 pressing downwards on the collar 19 imparts a suitable tension to the skein to be unwound.

When it is desired to collapse or fold up the ribs 18 the clamp 24 is moved up the sleeve 15 and locked in a position such that the spring 23 pulling upwardly on the collar 19 exerts a pull inwardly on the ribs 18 and so retains them each in its folded position, substantially parallel with the sleeve 15.

A cup 27, formed with a socket 28 in order that it may be mounted, as shewn, detachably upon the sleeve 15 so as to rotate as one therewith, is provided for the reception of the ball or the like being wound should the winding thereof be interrupted.

A device in accordance with the present invention offers many advantages over known types of skein-holders, for example, any desired tension (within the limits of the spring 23) may be applied to a skein in the holder, the cup 27 rotates as one with the sleeve 15 and a skein in the yokes 25, thus greatly lessening. the risk of entanglement of the wool or the like during an interruption of the winding, whilst the device is simple in operation, performs very efficiently the purpose for which it is intended, and occupies very little space when folded.

I claim 1. A collapsible holder for skeins of wool and the like comprising a fixed spindle, a sleeve rotatable on said fixed spindle, a plurality of ribs or arms each pivotally attached at one end to said sleeve and having a yoke Jun at its other end, a collar slidable lengthwise of said sleeve, a plurality of links pivotally connected with said ribs and with said collar, a clamping device slidable on said sleeve and a spring coiled around said sleeve between said collar and said clamping device.

, 2. A collapsible holder for skeins of W001 and the like, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring is connected with the collar and the clamping device.

3. A collapsible holder for skeins of wool and the like, as claimed in claim 1, wherein a flange is provided at the lower end of the fixed spindle, which is vertically arranged, a similar flange is provided at the lower end of the sleeve and adapted to rest on that of the fixed spindle and wherein the ribs or arms of the device are attached pivotally to the circumferential margin of the flange of the sleeve. 1

4. A collapsible holder for skeins of wool and the like, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clamping device is situated on the sleeve with. p

HERBERT PERCY WARREN. 

